The Knights of the Rainbow Heart: A New Beginning
by Lisalynd Writer of Many Names
Summary: Six boys of different status would have never expected to become best friends. They were so... different. But they all shared one thing in common: Each endured pain and suffering, left to fend for themselves. Of course, that didn't prevent a few mishaps along the way... Eventually, they created the Knights of the Rainbow Heart to start over. It was a chance for A New Beginning.
1. Mischief Makers Vs Prince's Entourage

**_Hello!_ _And welcome to my first ever book! :D_**

 ** _I'm Lisalynd, Writer of Many Names. I'm mostly known as Destiny RainbowHeart in Wizard101 (If ever you see me online, please let me know you've read this story of mine before asking to friend me). I'm also known as the Mystery Writer in a few of AlliyahtheWriter's Author's Notes in one of her stories. Together, we are the Writers of Destiny! ;D_**

 ** _(Now you know why I titled myself as 'Writer of Many Names' :P )_**

 ** _This is the first book of the series Knights of the Rainbow Heart. It is a prequel to the series called: The Knights of the Silver Rose, which I will soon be posting as well. _**

**_I hope you readers out there (if there are any), love this story as much as I loved writing it. :) Feel free to give me some pointers on writing if you think I can improve. This is my first time publishing my writing after all. Enjoy! :D_**

* * *

Lancelot's P.O.V.

* * *

 _We're in big trouble..._ I was running down the royal hallway with my accomplice, John Hawkwood. _No way am I gonna get beat up by some nun or maid! Not today!_

Being nine, I was allowed to go wherever I pleased in the castle, because I was a knight's page. I was lucky he never really asked me to do much except pack up his gear for his travels and adventures, which he went on non-stop. John, on the other hand, was almost always being called up to serve his old knight. I was surprised that he was still alive.

We ran down the corner, my loose brown hair in a page cut going wild. We had to get to the boys' dormitory as soon as possible.

* * *

John Hawkwood's P.O.V.

* * *

 _I should have never agreed to this…_ I regretted. _I just wanted to have fun! I didn't realize the whole palace staff would be on the lookout for us!_

I was a year older than Lancelot, and I should have known better than to prank the future King of Avalon! I shuddered. I've always feared Prince Artorius. He was a fierce bear cub after all. They are the symbol and representation of bravery, strength, and power.

Our prank was a simple one. Wake him up a bit earlier than usual and pour two buckets of swamp water and toads on him. The reaction was worth it!

 **Prince Artorius was lying in bed, tossing and turning. It was before sunrise.**

 **"Are you sure we should do this?" I precautioned the mastermind. "He seems to be having a nightmare..."**

 **Lancelot smirked. "Lighten up John! This is gonna be the funniest thing you've ever seen!"**

 **"Okay..."**

 **We slowly started pouring the murky cold swamp water onto him.**

 **"Brr..." shivered Artorius, still asleep. "Don't make me swim in the swamp..."**

 **We both struggled to keep back our laughter. We kept going, and the frogs jumped out. He kept sleep talking, and seemed to think he was fighting in his sleep! I couldn't believe it! I was having a blast until a toad was leaping towards Prince Artorius' face!**

 **"Lancelot! Let's get out of here!" I tugged him out of the room, then closed the great doors behind us.**

 **He was too busy giggling to answer until we got out. "Aw come on John! Don't be such a spoil sport!"**

 **We peeked in through the keyhole.**

 **"Ah! I'm drowning in the swamp of doom! Frog monster's gonna eat me! Help!"**

 **He screeched just like a girl. I burst out laughing alongside Lancelot.**

 **Then I saw him bolt upright from his bed, now wide awake. He discovered he's been pranked.**

 **"Who dares do this to me? Why, I'll hang them! Maids! Guards!"**

 **"Now's the best time to give him the slip."**

 **Lancelot rushed down the hall.**

And here I am now. Running for my life after a harmless prank on a to-be powerful leader. Our lives were at stake! Or more like, on the line. Literally.

We past by the halls with all the armor displayed. I looked at my reflection. I was a mess! My clothes all stained, wet, and wrinkled, my short, straight, blond hair all tangled, and my skin, clammy.

I slammed open the door to the dormitory. I bunked with Lancelot, so that was convenient since we only had to lock one door to secure the safety of our messy refuge. It was the only entrance and exit around here. Or so I thought…

"Psst! John!"

Lancelot removed a few tiles and bricks from a corner. There was a tiny tunnel behind it!

"Follow me," he directed. "This is our route to freedom!"

I was quite uncertain about this. I've enjoyed the benefits of living here. I didn't want to give that all up and run away! Then again, all those pleasures were about to become burdens…

* * *

Emeric de Mousquetaire's P.O.V.

* * *

I woke up at the sound of John and Lancelot hustling. They were probably plotting something again. I groaned. I didn't bother getting up from my homemade bed. Not only was I tired, but I knew what would happen if I tried to stop them. Next thing I knew, all fingers were pointing at me. I would be blamed, then get the punishments they deserved. I tried not to hold grudges, but that was extremely challenging when surrounded by a bunch of ruthless boys.

 _I'm always the scapegoat around them. Would they ever suffer the consequences instead of me?_

Prince Artorius' screams echoed all over the castle. This is the third time this week he has woken up roaring.

"Here we go again..." I grumbled out of bed, put on my servant clothes and rushed out of my room to Prince Artorius'.

I was the lucky one to get picked as the closest servant of Prince Artorius at the age of nine, which was approximately a year ago. Not as glorious as I imagined, but at least I could play my part in this kingdom of Avalon. From six to seven years old, young, aristocratic boys would be chosen by knights to be their pages. But I was one of the three remaining since I was so skinny and scrawny. It was true I was all skin and bones. I had no muscles, but that didn't stop my high energy level.

I think I got the best role out of the three: Edward, Richard, and me. Even though it does require a lot of energy to search all over the place to fill those orders and is the most laboursome, I enjoyed it because it gave me satisfaction and a purpose. I was pretty much a runner and messenger. I personally wasn't interested in the other possibilities, even though they also would deal with the prince.

Edward was very tall and very awkward. His jaw was so sharp I once thought he didn't need a knife or any weapon, because could cut with his chin instead. His skin was ghostly pale, and he always had droopy black eyes, just like a zombie's. Altogether, he seemed paranormal, which always made me uncomfortable standing too close to him. Though he was not very good at fighting, he was resourceful at when it came to trade. He became the prince's personal adviser. I never figured out how old he really was... He seemed young, but with a look like that, he could be ageless!

Richard was short and stubby with blond curly hair and vibrant blue eyes. He wore specs at all times, making him unable to put on a helmet properly. He always carried a book, or two, or a stack full I'd end up picking up for him. He was definitely rich in knowledge in any field since he would often read in his spare time. He was the studious type, which made it suitable for him to be the prince's daily planner. He was so organized, I could picture him as a walking, talking schedule! Organization was a skill I lacked, since I was a complete scatterbrain.

I took the fastest route I knew to get to the prince's chambers. I met up with Edward and Richard. They had better luck than I did. They didn't have to go across the castle in order to reach this hall since they have a servant's dorm closer to the prince's. I resided in the boys' dormitories, well, sort of. I wasn't a registered squire or page, and all the servant rooms were taken. I ended up finding a small empty storage room and made it my home. For a pillow, I 'borrowed' a bag of grains and would lay my head on that. I also 'borrowed' some hay from the stables outside, making that my mattress. I grabbed some bed sheets that were left on the drying rack. I assumed no one was using them, and if they were, they must have forgotten them. It used to be white with royal blue design, but now it's gotten dirty and full of holes. I didn't dare ask anyone to repair it or wash it in public. If I did ask, the maid might recognize it. Plus, cleaning was a girl's job. It would be humiliating for a boy to be seen washing laundry. I didn't mind that it was dirty and ripped though. It was all I needed.

I actually chose this little room on purpose. I could hear all the events of the day in the dormitory, and be one of the prince's closest servants at the same time. Even though it's been a year already, I still have yet to establish a stable friendship with Prince Artorius.

Richard and Edward were both anxious and uncertain whether or not to enter Prince Artorius' gigantic bedroom. Ours were tiny compared to his.

"It's your turn." Edward tried to push me into the room, but this time, I held my ground.

"No way!" I argued. "I went in first last time and got a detention to clean his room!"

They both eyed me.

"Hey! It wasn't my fault! I'm telling you! It's that prankster Lancelot and his follower John Hawkwood! They shared what they did to all the boys in the boys' dormitory! How many times must I tell you guys?!"

Richard finally gave in with a sigh. "Okay fine. I don't want to cause an argument here, so I'll see what's going on..."

He went in the royally draped room. I heard some screeches from the prince, and he exited immediately, running towards the maids' dorms.

"What in the Crown's name is going on here?!" Edward slammed open the great double doors, trying to make a big entrance, but ended up getting yelled at instead.

He ran out the room and headed the opposite direction Richard took.

 _Guess it's my turn._ I looked at myself through a display of armor just to check if I looked presentable for prince Artorius. _He does have high expectations. Everything has to be perfect._

It was unfortunate I could never smoothen my spiky brown hair. I always seemed to have a bad hair day.

I looked at my big green-brown, worried eyes. "Well, here goes nothing..."


	2. The Great Chase

**_For all those Wizard101 players out there who have passed Avalon reading this (which is probably very few if any), you all remember King Artorius right? He is known for being the fair, just ruler of Avalon._**

 ** _But that wasn't always the case._**

 ** _Few remember how he was before he changed. How did he change? And when? Those questions will be answered not in this chapter, but in the upcoming ones. ;) Until then, let's see how he behaved before then when he was still a prince. Shall we? ;)_**

* * *

Prince Artorius' P.O.V.

* * *

 _How dare anyone treat me this way!_ I fumed. _In six years, I'm going to become the greatest Knight and King Avalon has ever known!_

I pinched the frogs by their legs, and individually dropped them out of the window into the moat.

"Where's the room service?!" I demanded.

I heard the great entrance doors squeak. I turned around immediately and placed my gaze on the newcomer. It was my faithful servant, Emeric de Mousquetaire, shyly peeking in.

"You!" I commanded. "Get these frogs, toads, whatever they are, out of here!"

He simply stared at with his mouth open. I was drenched. I coughed out some muddy swamp water.

 _Doesn't he know it's rude to stare?_

Everything he did just increased my disapproval. Ever since he became my servant boy last year, I've despised even the sight of him. But that never stopped him from admiring me like a god, and I can't stop him from that.

He soon recovered. "I'll take these toads straight back to the swamp!"

"Wait!"

He froze.

"You don't mean that swamp in the Wyrd, right?"

He nodded.

"But it's forbidden to go in there! Same with the rest of that forest! Strong builders blockaded it. Remember?"

I predicted that he would frown in disappointment, but instead, he did the exact opposite. After he gathered all the runaway frogs in a crate, he turned to me and winked with a mysterious grin on his face.

"Don't worry your majesty. I've got these toads under control now. I ensure you they'll get back to their natural habitat."

"It doesn't matter," I scoffed. "I wouldn't even care if you even threw them out the window and down into the moat! All I want is for them to stay out of my room!"

He nodded and ran away, holding a large crate of croaking toads in his arms. Then I realized something.

"Emeric! Come back here!"

I peeked out from my room, and saw him skid to a stop and come back in.

"This was your doing isn't it? You and your love for nature! Why I ought to hang you!"

Emeric slowly backed away, stuttering, "No… I didn't do this! It must have been Lancelot and John Hawkwood again!"

I rolled my eyes. That wasn't likely. Their fathers were once the most loyal knights in our kingdom! Surely they would have been brought up better.

"Don't you dare put the blame on worthy future knights! And respect your future King!" I stood tall with my head up high.

"Honest! I know what goes on around here! You won't believe what you learn from hanging out with a bunch of boys… And I have to live in a cramped space, while you have all the luxury you want all to yourself! Meanwhile, there are starving people out there on the streets! No wonder why our world is in deficit as Edward says... It seems like no one cares about anyone anymore but themselves, and that includes you!"

His pointer finger was touching my chest. I was quite taken aback. I've never seen this side of Emeric before. Whenever I'd see him, he would always put up with his orders with a smile, without a complaint.

After he realized what he was doing, his angry face softened into a worried one. "I'm so sorry..."

"Well, you should be!"

I stuttered at first from shock, but slowly came back to my old self. This was the first time I've ever been criticized on my wrongdoings. Even my father, King Arthur, never yelled at me in that manner. He was always busy, as was my mother. I knew I should be grateful that my parents are rulers of the land, but they seemed so distant, I felt as if I didn't have any parents at all… So I'd always try and get their attention, but the maids, knights, and servants would come instead every time...

"That was extremely rude young mister! I can't believe you're even an aristocrat! Why, I ought to hang you! Guards!"

He ran as fast as he could out the doors and through the hallways as if his life depended on it, which it did.

"Come back here you, you coward!"

This time, he didn't come back…

* * *

Edward's P.O.V.

* * *

I knocked on the executioner's door.

"Hey! What's the big idea?!" he complained.

"No time for complaining. Now let's get a move on!" I led the way.

 _Time to wake up the knights…_ I became anxious.

Though the knights were loyal, they secretly used a lot of trickery. I had to be careful not to activate any of their traps, just in case. I got the same complaints from the knights when I woke them up knocking on their doors.

"The prince has an assignment to hunt down some rascals," I informed them.

"Who exactly?" one of them asked, rubbing his eyes.

I didn't stick around to hear who the prince wanted to execute. I felt so unprofessional, but I came up with something else that wouldn't ruin my reputation.

"The prince himself wishes to inform you on that detail," I answered.

They didn't question, only followed me to the prince's room.

 _Phew. That was a close one._ I wanted to sigh in relief, but the knights were following me. _Just stand strong Edward. Show no emotion, just like your father taught you._

My father was very strict with my upbringing. He taught me manners, the formalities of addressing different people of power, and everything else I know on how to behave. I thought I could finally loosen some slack coming here, but he continually receives reports on my progress. I don't know how. He was disappointed when I didn't become a page. He was furious when I didn't get a second chance by becoming a squire. I still practiced on my own, but I was honestly better at planning tactics rather than following them. I went back to following his rules after he sent me his first letter expressing his fury. I didn't have much of a choice after that, being continuously spied on...

* * *

Richard's P.O.V.

* * *

I ran as fast as I could to the maids' dorms.

 _I really ought to exercise more…_ I panted.

Once I arrived, I frantically knocked on all the doors.

"Emergency room service for Prince Artorius!" I announced.

The maids moaned, but when they realized it was for Prince Artorius, they ran as quickly as I did back to his room. While the maids changed the prince and his bed covers, as well as all the dirty prints the toads made, I waited outside. Edward arrived with the executioner and knights.

"The executioner and knights?" I questioned. "Don't you think this is kind of overdoing it? He was just being psychotic at the moment. He'll settle down eventually."

He shook his head. "This royal family is known for their lasting temper. They won't calm down until we do what they want. It's the only way to appease them..."

"Well, if you insist..."

 _Who's really guilty for this?_

The maids finally left the room, leaving it spotless. Prince Artorius wore an extravagant blue outfit with white ruffles.

"I need you knights to hunt down a boy," he commanded to the knights gathered around him. "Bring him back here so I can tell him the last words he will hear."

He turned to the executioner who dozed off.

"You!" he cried, startling him. "Stay awake and lively!"

The executioner groaned, and started doing a slow, weird dance. It was pretty ridiculous since he was so portly. I've always feared that man, but now, I'll always see him as a droggy dancer that seemed to have had too much to drink. I stifled a giggle.

"What are you laughing at?!" The prince was out of his mind. "Both of you! Get out of my sight..."

We reluctantly left the room. But Edward wasn't willing to not know who the execution was for. He leaned his ear on the door.

"Edward! That's eavesdropping!" I hissed. "You'll get us both in serious trouble!"

"Shh! If you keep talking, I won't hear, and they will!" he snapped back.

After a ten more seconds of him listening, he backed away and his already pale face became paler.

"What is it?" Every minute close to the prince made me antsy. "What did Prince Artorius say?"

"Emeric." He was in shock. "Prince Artorius wants the knights to hunt him down, bring Emeric to him, then it's off with the execution..."


	3. Guilty

_**Hello! And welcome to another chapter! :D**_

 _ **The situation seems to be going downhill from here, does it not? Will Emeric survive? Will Richard and Edward be able to stop this madness? Will Lancelot and John finally get the punishment they've been long overdue? x. x**_

 _ **Let me know that you think in the reviews of this chapter before reading the next! I'd love to see what and how you guys (if there is anyone) think. ;) Don't give spoilers to the readers who haven't read it yet in this review section though, because that spoils everything! -.-**_

 _ **So please be a dear to respect that and read this chapter for me :)**_

* * *

Emeric's P.O.V.

* * *

I sprinted as fast as I could to the nearest exit of the palace. I still held the crate of croaking toads in my arms.

 _This can't be happening… This can't be happening…_ I kept repeating to myself.

I left the castle grounds, then looked back.

 _What am I doing?_ I halted. _This is insane!_

But I didn't have time to think twice because the royal cavalry was charging straight towards me! I immediately started running again.

 _All for a bunch of toads..._ I looked down at the bulky crate I held that occasionally shook from the hopping toads. _I can't believe I'm doing this… I'm running away like a thief when I'm innocent!_

However, I didn't stop jogging with a bunch of knights on my tail. I took a sharp turn behind a boulder, while the knights on horseback kept going straight. Thankfully, that hole in the wall to enter the Wyrd was still there. But something was different. The tall grass usually blocking the way was cut, and it left the huge crack in the wall clearly visible!

I checked to make sure no one else was around before I pushed the crate into the gap in the stone wall. It got stuck. I backed up, then charged towards it. The crate finally made it through, but now my little archway was bigger! I scurried around on the other side, gathering branches, twigs, stones, anything I could find to fill in that hole. In the end, I was able to make it look like there was a bush growing out of the wall. I clapped my hands, satisfied with my artistic creation, as I took the heavy load of toads into the forest.

* * *

Edward's P.O.V.

* * *

I couldn't budge. Sure I suspected Emeric was to blame, but I just couldn't piece together _why_ he would do such a thing.

 _It's not like him… How did he muster enough courage to stand up against Prince Artorius?! He admires the prince! He would have known the consequences..._

But, I hate to admit it, I think I actually started to _worry_ about him.

 **Worrying is for the weak,** recited the words of my father. **...Sacrifices will be made... Death is inevitable…**

"Edward!" snapped Richard who was now shaking me. "Get yourself together! I've never seen you freeze like that! It made me jitter..."

I realized he tugged me all the way from prince Artorius' door, back to our dorm.

"We've got to warn Emeric." I couldn't believe I was saying that!

"Huh. So you do have a soft spot," Richard teased, pushing my shoulder.

"Oww!" I wailed. "Why do you boys do that?! It's so immature! Not to mention painful."

"And that's the Edward I remember... Well? What are we waiting for?! The knights have already gone in search parties to find him! We'll never make it!"

"There's gotta be something..." I thought outloud. "Let's check his room!"

"Yeah! Wait. Where is his room?"

"Ugh! I thought you knew!"

 _Of course he doesn't._ I hit my head. _He's a nerd who never takes his eyes off his books. I just had to be bunk buddies with this guy…_

Then an idea hit me. "Books! That's it! Sometimes he carries a green covered book around with him! It could hint us to where he went!"

"That's right!" Richard remembered. "It was about weird plants and animals… He showed it to me once! The drawings are amazing!"

"Hold on a second," I interrupted. "What did you just say?"

"Weird plants and animals? He showed me? Amazing drawings?" repeated a confused Richard.

"The first one. It all adds up! He must have escaped into the Wyrd!"

"Woah. Good investigating," my assistant approved. "But let's bring that book with us. It might come in handy if we face anything in that forbidden place. Maybe we can ask the boys in the dorm to point out his room?"

I wasn't so sure. If the full-grown knights were pretty bad, they'd obviously train their squires and pages their tricks... unless they wanted to keep them secret of course. But it would be worth the risk. If we didn't get Emeric back, Prince Artorius would find a new punching bag. Namely, me.

* * *

Lancelot's P.O.V.

* * *

It took me forever when I first dug out this tunnel, but now that it was complete, it certainly came in handy. One problem: the ground was shaking. From below, we could hear the galloping of thousands of horses.

 _They're probably trying to find us!_ I panicked.

"Where does this tunnel lead?" John asked.

"I use it in times of crisis," I replied. "It has saved my hide quite a few times..."

"And you never showed me until now?!" John seemed offended.

"Look. I wanted to make sure you wouldn't tattle-tail or anything of the sort. Now that I know you don't, I know I can trust you," I winked in the dark.

He seemed pleased with himself and got excited for the adventure ahead of us. The boy's dormitory was located right on the very right of the palace. It was the only place where the castle wall and the castle itself touch. So it wasn't so hard for me to get through. The underground wall was starting to cripple anyway.

We surfaced behind a bush, so the tunnel was often overlooked. Even if it was noticed, it would probably be seen as a gopher hole.

I didn't plan ahead on where we'd take refuge. "Where do you want to go?"

"Time for me to lead you," John winked in turn.

We crept across the fields, camouflaging ourselves in the tall wheat rows. I blindly followed John up to a wall. I gasped.

"We're not..." I began.

"Yes we are," he grinned mischievously.

"The Wyrd is off limits! It's banned to even set foot in there!" I proclaimed. "This is crazy!"

"Is it crazier than pouring mirky swamp water and toads on a prince?" John shoved me into a row of wheat.

I recovered my balance quickly, and tried to find a good combat, but found nothing. "Good point."

"Where did you think I found all the toads and swampy water?" John teased as he walked along the wall, looking for something.

"I don't know," I admitted. "But I do now. I just thought of the plan, and left the resources left for you to find. You did a great job. I was surprised you found so many toads!"

"Where did you think I find them?" smirked John.

"In a lake nearby, a pond, the moat, or even in the Wild. Anywhere but in the Wyrd! That place is known to be flooding with evil magic!"

"Well, Emeric and I went in there once, and we've never faced anything we couldn't handle."

"Wait. Emeric led you in there?!" This was too much to take in.

"Mmm hmm..." He stared at a bush in front of the wall separating us from the Wyrd. "There's supposed to be a crack big enough for us to crawl through right here."

 _Emeric is such a softie! Too good for his own good,_ I judged. _He's weak and helpless with that bony body. How could he have the guts or even the strength to survive in there?! I guess I underestimated him…_

I took a good look at the bush. It didn't seem… real. I tugged a twig, and a whole branch came out without any resistance. The rest of the branches and leaves collapsed, leaving a big gap for us to crawl through.

"Huh. It looks bigger from when I last remember it..." commented John. "There wasn't a bush either. I just cut the tall grass so I could get through."

"Who cares? Are we going in or what?"

He sighed. "Okay… But we better cover it up again. Someone will notice a break in the wall this big if we don't."

We went through the breach then covered it up so it looked just like before.

"Now what?" queried John.

"What do you mean by 'now what?'! I thought you had this planned out!" I worried.

"You're the one that got us into this fix," debated John. "So you should be the one to lead us out of it!"

I lost track of time on how long we argued. Eventually, someone interrupted.

"Well, well, well. I bet you two have quite the story if you want to take refuge here..."


	4. The Unwanted

**_Hey! It's anti-bullying day today! (well, probably not if you're reading this the days after it's posted)_**

 ** _On a related topic, get ready, because we've got another major issue on our boys' hands. It's high time you all met the gang of bullies..._**

* * *

Richard's P.O.V.

* * *

I could tell that Edward was as nervous as I was to face the other boys. Though he did a pretty good job hiding it. I wouldn't have been able to tell if I weren't his roommate and saw him every hour. I since I first arrived, I immediately became a victim of bullying. With strong boys training to become knights, it would never end pretty…

I took a deep breath before knocking on the door of the main entrance. A boy double my height opened it.

"Hey guys!" he called out. "I don't know who ordered, but the order of servant boys are here!"

We heard a bunch of boys roaring with laughter in the background. I felt my face reddening, so I took a deep breath to calm down as we entered the hall.

"They look! It's the other two rejects!" proclaimed another boy. "Will you do me a favor and wash all my dirty clothes?"

"Ew! No way!" I was disgusted. "Let the maids do it! If not, yourself!"

"Owned..." uttered a small boy in the background, who was immediately silenced by stares.

"What do you want?" The boy who allowed us to enter asked, now suspending me in the air by my neck.

I couldn't answer him because he was choking me. I thought I was gonna suffocate, when Edward was somehow capable of punching the bully in the stomach! The hefty squire automatically let go so he could comfort his lurching intestines. He growled.

"We don't want to start a fight," Edward stated professionally. "We only asked if you know where Emeric de Mousquetaire's room is."

"Oh? You really want to know, do you? Unite the prince's 'entourage'?" someone slyly taunted.

I turned to see who the owner of that voice was. It was the leader of all squires and pages, Sir Adriano BattleSoul!

"Hey! I thought you were meant to be loyal and protective to the royal bloodline!" I reminded them, though now fearful in the presence of their leader.

"Protect? Hah! Not everything it what it seems..." revealed Sir Adriano BattleSoul, now standing up. "Boulder, give them what they want."

The tall squire Boulder grabbed us by our hair and dragged us to a tiny room. They slammed the door behind us and locked us in.

 _I can't believe all this!_ I was furious. _They just walked away, leaving us behind?! If this is what Emeric has to go through everyday…_

I couldn't imagine going through this daily. _And for what? He barely gets anything in return! Not even respect! Yet, he still comes out to do his job with a smile, even though he knows he'll be dealing with yet another terrible person… What a terrible life!_

 _I should write a documentary about his what he goes through._ I decided. _It would open people's minds to reality, truth, and injustice. Who knows? I could become a famous author with a book like that!_

"Um, Richard?" This time, _Edward_ was shaking _me_. "Reality check: we're locked in a cramped, dark room, with no food, no light, nothing. Is that right?"

I looked around there seemed to be what looked like a giant nest made out of hay. There was a bed sheet, all brown and dusty, with a few holes and tears, and a grain sac that was creased in the middle, about the size of a head.

I took a closer look. "This _can't_ be his bed… Can it? This _can't_ be his room! No one should live under conditions like this! Not Emeric of all people! Those other boys deserve to be all cramped up here and locked in!"

"Shimmer down Richard," calmed Edward.

"I _am_ calm!" I raged. "This isn't fair!"

"A wise man told me that life is never fair," Edward quoted gloomily.

"Well, if you look up to that 'wise man' of yours, no wonder why you're always down!" I commented, starting to calm down again.

We both collapsed on Emeric's bed-nest, losing hope. There was no way we'd be able to get out with the door locked from outside.

I felt lumps under the bed. _This homemade bed of his is really uncomfortable._

Edward seemed to have felt the lumpiness too. He dug under the hay.

"Whoa. Check this out!" He pulled out a wide, flat, brown, leather chest with a handle on it.

"Can you open it?" I hated to pry, but there was nothing better to do.

After attempting a few times, Edward gave up. He handed the mysterious case to me. There were two metal seals. I figured out how to open them by experimenting with the one on the right. It unlocked by pushing a bump, then pulling back a thin metal tab. I did the same with the matching one to the left. It popped right open to reveal the inside. It had different wooden dividers which separated its contents. There was a sealed container of fresh water, dried meat, and even some fresh fruit!

 _This must be an emergency kit of some sort,_ I assumed as I found some tissues all rolled up meant for bandaging, a clean dry cloth, a miniature cutting knife, and some healing herbs.

"I'll check if that fruit's still fresh." Edward stole a pear from the fruit section and took a bite. "Yep. It's still perfectly ripe!"

"Edward! That's Emeric's!" I grabbed the pear out of his hand.

"Well, it seemed like he was expecting to come back here soon if he put fresh fruit in there..." noticed Edward between bites after stealing the pear out of my hands.

A depressing realization came over me. "But of course! He replenishes it regularly as a consoling kit for after being beaten up by everyone!"

Edward stopped chewing. I'm not entirely sure, but I think, just for a second, I saw him pity someone aside from himself.

"Hey look!" I discovered the green covered book with hundreds of pages, most still bare. "It's the book we were discussing about earlier!"

Edward quickly finished his pear then looked over my shoulder. "Ooh. Looks like a journal of some sort! Open it!"

After I refused, he turned the cover himself. There was a large bird feather pen I couldn't identify from which bird, attached to the binding with a leather strap. I couldn't help but marvel at the detailed sketches of plants and creatures turning the pages. They seemed almost lifelike! I noticed that occasionally, the ink color would change slightly different shades of browns.

 _That's odd… Why is the ink different shades of brown when ink is normally black?_

Surprisingly, my roommate seemed as intrigued as I was!

"Look at that one! That can't exist… Can it?" He commented as kept stopping me from flipping to the following pages.

I was glad to finally do something together that interested us both.

 _Maybe getting trapped here and finding this case with all this stuff was meant to be…_

* * *

Artorius' P.O.V.

* * *

Everyone recommended that I sleep in after sending out the knights in search of Emeric. I tried my best to go back and rest, but I couldn't. I couldn't help but feel guilty for what I have done. I decided to ask my father for his advice. When I entered the Great Hall, all the servants were hustling and bustling to prepare for tonight's banquet. It was my father's birthday after all! I spotted him sitting on his throne, talking to his adviser.

 _That's gonna be me someday..._

I came forth and bowed down on one knee as protocol demands. He temporarily dismissed his adviser.

"Your majesty, I seek your council. I-"

I was interrupted by a crowd of people flooding into the room.

"Hold on Artorius," he interrupted me before I could continue. "I have some 'issues' to attend to."

"All the guests arrived early!" worried a servant to the King. "The invitations had the wrong times written on them! They wrote this morning instead of tonight! We couldn't keep them back from barging into the palace!"

King Arthur growled, seemingly annoyed that the schedule didn't stick to as planned. He completely forgot about me just standing there, awkwardly in the middle of the room.

"Since you are all here early," he declared to all the newcomers, "We shall start the festivities early with a dance!"

Clearly, the dance was meant to buy him some time and distract the guests while the servants continued their work. The musical band came and played some traditional, classic music, while the King when to chat with the guests and ensure that their needs were met. I felt as abandoned as an orphan.

I spotted my mother from the corner of my eye, ordering the maids to hurry up and prepare appetizers and drinks faster. Maybe I could tell her about the nightmare I had. I've been having quite a few of them lately... It's been awhile since I last sat on her lap.

"Mother," I asked politely, gently tapping her shoulder from behind.

She jumped, then spun around. "Artorius! You know better than to scare fine young women, most importantly me."

Her chin was held high. Then it went down as she looked over her long list. I lost eye contact with her as she recited the words on her list through mumbles.

"Um, can I talk to you?" I asked, hopeful to vent out my feelings to someone.

"Not now dearie," she dismissed. "I'm afraid we're now behind schedule since everyone came early! Put the wine barrels beside the beer ones! Not the fruit!"

She budged herself through the crowd to get to the servant placing the wine barrels. I then lost eyesight of her as well as the King in this crowd. I couldn't tolerate it anymore. I stormed out and went back into my chambers. I had no one to talk to. All the servants were busy. I tried calling someone, anyone, but no one came to answer my pleas. I felt deserted then and there. I've never felt this lonely...

I couldn't help but remember the terrifying nightmare I had...

 **I was lost in the middle of a forest. It was the dark, mysterious Wyrd! And my clothes were all torn! I stepped back and bumped into a tree. A frightening faced formed at my eye level on the trunk, and the branches tried grabbing me!**

 **I ran as fast as I could, but every tree I past had the same evil face. Their branches all trying to snatch me. I had to find a place where there were no trees! The only place where there were no trees was a large swamp. The water touched my bare toes.**

" **Brr." I shivered. "Don't make me swim in the swamp!"**

 **But I had no choice. I sunk into the muddy ground underwater. To make matters worse, a gigantic frog jumped in!**

" **Ah! I'm drowning in the swamp of doom! Frog monster's gonna eat me! Help!"**

It was then I woke up, surrounded by a bunch of toads and drenched in swamp water. I laid awake in bed, now cleaned, pondering on what Emeric told me when he got all flustered. It seemed to stand out so much compared to anything else anyone has told me… Those words haunted me.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I decided to, for once, change my clothes all by myself into something suitable for travel, though I had no idea what to wear from my huge wardrobe. There was always someone to pick my clothes for me. I sighed. Only now have I realized how dependent I was on others. And what did I do for them in return? Yell at their faces and make them fear me? I was gonna change that, starting now.


	5. Getting Our Act Together

_**It's time to get our act together! ;D**_

 _ **Share a turning point in your life that made you a better person in this chapter's review section! :D If you're willing to of course.**_

 _ **I'd enjoy reading what you readers write, so please do so. It would make this writer overjoyed. :) But don't forget to read this chapter first! ;D**_

* * *

Artorius' P.O.V.

* * *

It took me awhile to get changed on my own. I pulled my tights and pants on backwards at first, struggled slipping my arms into the sleeves of my blouse, and had difficulties buttoning up my vest, not to mention buttoning them up in the wrong holes. I carefully stored my small crown in its casing, and wore my hunter's cap instead. I admired myself in the mirror. I wore black hunting boots, white tights underneath, and a camouflage colored hunting outfit. Whenever Emeric and I would go hunting with peregrine falcons, I would always wear this outfit. It made sense to me to look for him like this.

 _Not bad for a first time,_ I admired. _Still have a few odds and ends, kind of crooked on the shoulder pads, not all the buttons are closed, etc, but it will have to do._

I decided to bring along my training sword and its scabbard, just in case.

One of my young maids knocked at my door. "Prince Artorius!"

I allowed her to enter. She seemed kind of shocked that I got dressed on my own, and even more surprised that I didn't seem to care how terrible I probably looked. She came over to straighten my shoulder pads, button up all the gaps, etc.

"Going on a hunt your majesty?" she hesitantly asked.

Usually, I would scold if anyone would dare directly speak to me, but this time, I just went straight to the point. "Yes. Hunting a man down."

She fearfully adjusted my belt. "You don't intend on hanging Emeric, do you? He's such a good lad. His smile is contagious, and he somehow brings about the good in even the meanest of men. Everything seems a bit more joyous when he steps foot in even the most gloomy of rooms."

I took a moment to reflect on how the maid had just portrayed Emeric. _I never saw him that way, but I guess it's kind of true. I never knew he made such an impact on those around him. He seemed to have somehow brought about the good in even me! That's what must have happened!_

I looked in the mirror once again, and for the first time, I visualized myself as a forgiving, just, and generous leader with a gentle face sitting comfortably on my father's throne. Usually, I would portray my future self as a proud dictator with a threatening appearance, always standing in front of the throne, ordering everyone to do what I wished, punishing them if they did not.

 _What did he do to me?_ I wondered in amazement, stepping back from my reflection in the gigantic mirror. _I never considered him as the persuasive type, but the way he changed someone as stubborn as me is unbelievable. It was as if he had magic..._

I bumped into the maid who helped me dress up.

"Are you alright your highness?" she suspiciously inquired. "You seem dazed… And you're acting, different."

Though I did feel rather confused, I tried to cover it up. "Yes. I'm fine… Can you lead me to the boys' dormitories?"

Though she seemed taken aback at that request, she did as asked.

Along the way, she questioned, "Have Richard and Edward reported to you since after breakfast time? They weren't at our table when having breakfast this morning."

"No. Not since I dismissed them in the middle of the night," I admitted.

I was starting to regret every time I mistreated my servants, especially those three. I remember when Emeric first came up to me, requesting to become friends. Instead of accepting the offer, I slapped him on the cheek, ordering him to bow down and never run directly towards me like that again. I winced. Maybe Emeric had the right idea…

The maid ran away and left me at the doors of the the boys' dormitory.

"Here goes nothing..."

I slowly opened the great doors, unprepared for what was to come.

* * *

Edward's P.O.V.

* * *

 _We're gonna die here…_ I despaired, laying on Emeric's uncomfortable hay bed. _No one is gonna look for us, since we're nothing important, and we'll just waste away into bones and dust…_

"Lighten up Edward!" Richard passed me another pear to cheer me up, after preventing me from eating anymore just a few moments ago. "It's breakfast time. We should eat."

We both broke in half a large piece of dried meat.

"Not bad..." I munched. "I've had better though."

"You'll never be fully satisfied, will you Edward?"

Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice boom, "Where are my servants?! What have you done to them?"

 _Oh boy…_ I worried, putting back the leftover food from where they came from. _He must be upset at us and want us to guide him to Emeric! We're gonna get it._

"Why is prince Artorius here?!" cried Richard. "He's never come to check up on anyone!"

That got me thinking. _Why did he come here of all places first?_

My pondering was distracted by the clash and clamor of fighting. Richard pushed me aside so he could see what was going on through the keyhole.

"Wow! Prince Artorius is beating them all up big time! They definitely deserved that though. Prince Artorius! We're in here!"

"Yeah!" I joined in, hoping he could hear us. "We're locked in Emeric's room, and someone there has the key!"

* * *

Prince Artorius' P.O.V.

* * *

I heard calls for help coming from a closet door. Though all the squires and pages ganged up on me, it was easy to hold them back. They all had to use wooden training swords, while I actually had a real one, though it was no Sword of Kings. It was rather dull, but I could cut through wood with it if I applied enough force. I headed straight to the door where the hollering was coming from, but it was locked.

I pointed my sword out threateningly. "Okay. Which of you has the key?"

No one answered willingly. Even though I didn't want anyone to fear me anymore, I had a feeling I would have no choice but to use brute force in order to reign in these boys. They were going to be my future knights after all! By the way they teased me and my servants when I entered the dormitory, only now did I realized how sheltered I really was from reality.

 _These boys could one day plot against me… Good thing I caught them now while their actions aren't severe. I better keep an eye out though. There are possible future enemies here. I don't think this encounter will make them like me any more than before._

They gave me no choice but to threaten them through words. "Give me the key before I hang you all like I hanged Emeric!"

I heard two voices gasp from inside the closet. Someone from the crowd of boys threw a chain of keys at me. All of them were gold, except one. Emeric seemed to find pleasure in what didn't cost much, so I assumed the brass key was the one. I kept my dulled blade pointing at the squires and pages, while they stayed back and didn't dare make a move. I knew I had the advantage since I could simply slice through their wooden training swords, which I ended up doing for some of them.

As I presumed, the brass key was the one to unlock the door. Richard and Edward both tumbled out.

"Whoa," awed Richard. "The whole crowd's still here?"

"You might want to hide yourselves in your chambers," advised Edward to everyone else. "From our experience, you do _not_ want to mess with the prince when he's angry."

One of the them grabbed the chain of keys from me. Each wanted to get their own individual key and scurry into their chambers as soon as possible. The ring that attached the keys altogether eventually stretched out into a long, thin, curved piece of wire, and was left uselessly on the wooden floor. All the keys went flying! Every boy scrambled to find their key. I didn't know how they could differentiate between the keys since the rest were gold, but once they found their individual keys, they locked themselves in their dorms. I realized the brass key was right at my feet. I picked it up to keep it as a reminder.

I chuckled. _Cowards._

"Emeric can't be dead!" sobbed Richard. "You bloody, insulant-"

Edward covered Richard's mouth before he could yell anything more insulting.

"Follow me," I guided.

Edward stopped me. "Hold on. Let me go get something..."

He came back dragging an odd looking case out of the room. I peeked inside. There was barely anything in there other than a nest of hay, a bag of wheat, and a ragged blanket which was probably meant to be a bed.

 _If this is Emeric's room, he wasn't exaggerating when he complained to me about how dire his refuge was. And I complain about the tiniest of details that aren't done. That is nothing compared to this…_

Now, I had a new goal to achieve.

 _If we ever find him, I'm gonna give him a better room to sleep in every night. If that doesn't happen, I will do whatever I can in my power to support him until he does._


	6. Unsafe Travels

**_Here we are at another chapter! :D_**

 ** _Here's a question for you readers to answer in this chapter's reviews: Do you believe in magic?_**

 ** _This may make me sound childish, but yes, I do. Hey. You never know... ;)_**

 ** _Anyways, wish these boys in this story: "Unsafe Travels!"_**

* * *

Richard's P.O.V.

* * *

"Edward! Have you no human decency for other's property?!" I cried. "That's probably the only thing Emeric owned aside from his clothes!"

Edward just ignored my remark. "Is it true that Emeric is dead?"

Once again, I spotted him seeming to actually _care_ for someone aside from himself. In response, Prince Artorius put his sword back into his scabbard, then looked down at the ground. His arms went behind his back, and his left foot drew small, invisible circles on the ground. He obviously looked guilty.

"Well..." he started, "Just follow me and then we'll talk from there."

I willingly skidded out of the boy's dormitory, but I felt uneasy the rest of the way. I didn't want to see Emeric's body hanging dead outside! All three of us sighed in relief when we exited the boy's dormitory. I was surprised the prince did so. He fearlessly fought against dozens of knights in training!

We past the dangling rope. No dead body. What a relief! Emeric was still out there, and he was most likely still alive, but it wouldn't be that way for long if someone discovered him.

"So, um..." Prince Artorius positioned himself in that same guilty look as earlier. "I thought things through, and now, I realize how much I've been missing out. I didn't realize Emeric was someone that could bring everyone together… If the knights find him now, that bond between people with different jobs will be broken if he's hanged. I realize that now."

I've never seen this thoughtful side of the prince. I tilted my head sideways. Something has changed in the prince we served...

"Are those are your intentions through and through?" trialed Edward. "How do we know this isn't all a trick for us to lead you straight to him?!"

The prince sighed and gave us a guilty and honest look with his ember eyes. "I'm not completely sure how I changed my motives myself... I guess it took someone to speak up and make me realize everything I did was wrong all along. I think… I think what Emeric told me earlier finally knocked some sense into me..."

That definitely caught me by surprise.

"Listen, I-" he started, but Edward interrupted.

"You don't need any proof," he finalized. "I've been to many trials as your adviser, and liars never make eye contact with those who question them, which surprises me that you did."

I couldn't believe Edward just interrupted the Prince! But for once, Prince Artorius didn't correct him. That just made the situation even more unusual.

"I'm-I'm… sorry," he apologized for the first time. "I didn't mean for things to come to this. The knights are gonna hate me for putting them on a wild goose chase. Now the new _and_ old generations of knights will despise me! They might plot to kill me in one way or another!"

The prince started pacing anxiously back in forth.

"Get a grip!" Edward stopped Prince Artorius from pacing by holding his shoulders in place. "Our top priority right now is to find Emeric! I'm not sure I should follow you guys in there though..."

He pointed towards the Wyrd.

The Prince gasped. "No! He didn't! He wasn't serious… was he?"

I nodded my head gloomily. "Probably as serious as you were killing him. Look."

I opened the leather brown case, revealing its contents to the Prince. I took out the green book and flipped through the pages for him to see.

"This case here is probably all he rightfully owns aside from his clothes. We think it's a kit of some sort to help him stay strong and happy against all the rough people he faces… Half of this book's contents shows pictures of creatures, minerals, and plants neither of us could recognize. We all know that the unknown resides in the Weirwoods..."

I shivered at the thought. It took awhile for Prince Artorius to take all this in. After all, this was probably the first time in his life encountering such disrespect! I don't think he's ever gone beyond his bedroom doors to discover the real world revolving around him.

"Why aren't you coming with us Edward?" questioned the Prince, staring at him with those piercing, amber eyes.

Edward cracked. "Okay! Fine! I'm paranoid that there are spies continuously watching over me!"

"How do you know for certain?" I questioned further, never hearing him talk about this.

"They report what I've done back to my father, and he sends back a letter directly to me about his disappointment on what I've never achieved!"

"And since when did you last get a letter from him?" Prince Artorius asked.

"His last letter expressed his rage when I didn't become a squire..." mumbled Edward. "Even though that was long time ago, that doesn't mean he's not watching me! He'll send me a letter talking about his fury against me if I go in there!"

"And why did you never tell me about this?!" I burst. "I'm your roommate for Prince Artorius' sake!"

Prince Artorius raised a brow. I blushed.

 _I really shouldn't cuss when Prince Artorius is around…_

"Edward, I don't think he'd be much happier if you even let _us_ go into the Wyrd," I pointed out after recovering from that embarrassing moment. "We'd best stick together."

"Yeah. If one gets hurt, the other can stay and watch out for him, while the third goes for help," strategized the Prince.

"Or, I could just not allow you to go to the Wyrd," Edward insisted. "There's no way we could even enter that haunted place! It's blocked by a huge wall!"

"Emeric does not have magic!" I blurted out. "He can't just teleport randomly from one place to another! There must be a hole in the wall for him to get through..."

* * *

John Hawkwood's P.O.V.

* * *

 _That voice sounds familiar…_

Lancelot was gripping my arm tightly, shivering with fright.

"I can't believe you showed Lancelot here!" the voice shrieked. "You broke our promise to keep this a secret!"

 _Promise? What promise?_

A figure stepped out of the shadows. It was Emeric.

"Ugh! I just can't believe you too!" he blustered. "All I wanted was to stay hidden here for the rest of my life in misery. But now, I have to do it with you too!"

"Let me guess. You got the blame again?" assumed Lancelot.

Emeric glared at him. "Yes! And this is the worst punishment ever! I'm wanted to be _hanged!_ Thanks a lot you too..."

Lancelot and I both gasped. Neither of us intended to risk anyone's lives! It was meant to be a harmless prank we'd laugh back at in the future. Now that we knew the consequences, I wasn't sure what was worse: survival in the Wyrd, or certified death upon our return. Emeric turned around and lifted something behind the roots of a giant tree. He brought to us a crate that jiggled when he held it, then gently put it down in front of us.

"Since you guys brought these to the castle, you too will have to bring them back to the swamp."

I heard croaking come from inside.

 _No way…_

It must have been all the toads I've gathered!

"I didn't even know how to get here until John showed me just now! He's the one that gathered them all, so he should put them back," blamed Lancelot.

I rolled my eyes. That was Lancelot. He always condemned others for the trouble he's caused. If Emeric or anyone else wasn't there, he'd blame it on me. Though he never had to come to that until now. I was offended. Did my companionship mean nothing to him?

"Suit yourself," Emeric interceded. "I'll guide whom you accused to the swamp. Come along John."

Once Lancelot realized he'd be left alone at the border of the Wyrd, he ran after us yelling, "Wait for me!"

Emeric guided us through some twists and turns. I couldn't figure out how he kept a sense of direction.

"Watch for that root," he warned me, swiftly jumping over it.

The root was at the level of my stomach!

 _How did he jump over that so effortlessly?_

I was simply amazed as I limboed under it. Lancelot, on the other hand, didn't heed Emeric's warning, and bumped right into it. He fell back, dazed. I must admit, it was pretty funny. I tried to stifle a giggle along with Emeric.

"My payback for all your plotting and punishments you gave me, Sir Lancelot!" Emeric teased.

"Ow..." was all he managed to say.

Lancelot sat up, holding his head. I was surprised when Emeric jumped over the root again, simply to reach Lancelot and lend him a helping hand up!

"Why are you offering me a hand after all I've made you go through your entire first year at the palace?" he gaped, accepting Emeric's hand.

Emeric pulled Lancelot up. He was surprisingly strong as he was agile!

Before he turned and moved on, he winked at Lancelot and plainly answered, "I don't hold grudges for long..."

Lancelot seemed stupefied for a second, as Emeric seem to speed through the forest without tripping or tumbling anywhere. He was pretty fast too!

"How is this happening?" queried Lancelot, wonderstruck. "How does he have the traits of a real knights when he isn't one of them?!"

"I guess his appearance sold him short," I presumed. "He's a mystery that boy..."

After we lost sight of him, I just sat down. No point going any further without knowing where you are.

"Don't you know the way?" questioned Lancelot. "I mean, you _did_ find the frogs here. Right? Don't tell me you made Emeric do it for you!"

"That's not _exactly_ how the story goes," I confessed. "When I was looking for the toads you wanted, I thought Emeric might know, since he's such a nature lover. But before I could ask him where to find some, he ran off!"

"Did you follow him?" Lancelot asked, intrigued.

"Of course I did! He was obviously suspicious of something! And boy! That something was something I would have never imagined he'd find and do!"

"What was that something?"

"He pushed aside some tall grass, and behind it, was the entrance we used!"

"So _that's_ how you knew about the crack in the wall! Where in the forest did he go?"

"The swamp. He whistled, and a peregrine falcon dived towards him, then gently landed on his shoulder! He wasn't even wearing any padding!"

Lancelot was unable to hide his shocked expression. "What?! But peregrine falcons have a grip that can pierce through a man's skin!"

"I know right?! I don't know how he wasn't hurt. He sat down on a crate he must have brought there, and revealed some grains, meat, and fruits!"

"That little thief!" Lancelot jumped up and was about to hunt down Emeric, but once he realized he didn't know where to go, he just sat back down sighing instead. "Continue."

"Well, I find it rather generous and cute what he did with them next. Animals gathered around him. A small pack of wolves, a family of foxes, songbirds, rabbits, fireflies, bats, a few owls, mice, salamanders, lizards, snakes, you name it! It seemed like every animal gathered around him to share the food he brought!"

"That-that's impossible! The predators would eat the prey, and Emeric would be at their mercy!"

"I couldn't believe it either when I saw all this. It was unnatural… I wanted to take a closer look to see if that was really happening, but I stepped on a twig, which, of course, all the animals heard. They all looked in my direction."

"I bet that didn't go well..."

"It didn't. Once Emeric realized all the creatures were all looking at something, he turned around and spotted me. I'm not sure if the group of wild creatures disbursed because they were scared, or if Emeric shooed them away himself. I'd never be able to unsee what I saw."

"Did he come up to you? What did he say? What did he do? Tell me! I'm dying to know!"

He grabbed my shoulders and joggled me vigorously as if he were trying to shake all the life out of me.

I stopped Lancelot from shaking me. "Hey! Cut that out! I'm trying to remember. Okay?"

"Sorry… got too captured into your story," blushed Lancelot.

"It's not a story! This actually happened! I was it with my own eyes!"

"Well, how'd you get the toads then?"

I rubbed my head, trying to remember. "I think that's when he told me to promise not to tell anyone about anything I saw yesterday. He soon disappeared into the forest, leaving me with a swamp full of toads and a crate to carry them in. I followed the trail of broken branches I kept crashing into when I chased Emeric to the swamp. It wasn't this long a trail. He must be taking a different one now to keep us off track or something..."

"Nice story," commented a voice from behind me.

"Ah!" I squealed, jumping into Lancelot's arms while he sat in shock. "How long have you been watching us?!"

"I wasn't watching, I was waiting," Emeric corrected.

"How did we not hear you?! I can't believe I didn't even notice you!" exclaimed Lancelot.

Emeric grinned and winked. "That trait kind of runs in my family. That's what makes my father such a good hunter. I'm hoping to become as good as a hunter he is, if not better when I grow up."

I stood up and lifted the heavy crate of toads. "Well, can you slow down this time so we can keep up?"

He stuck his tongue out mockingly. "Fine. I'll slow down for you slow-pokes."

He walked a different route from what I remembered. None of the branches were broken from when I last came. How Emeric navigated himself around these parts was still a mystery to me. He told me when to watch my step and what was up ahead while I blindly followed with a large crate of jumpy, croaking toads. Lancelot wasn't much help. He simply observed his surroundings, tripping and bumping into things continuously.

"I'm surprised we haven't encountered any beasts yet," chattered Lancelot between his teeth.

"Don't jinx it," precautioned Emeric. "I've seen some strange occurrences here… They have a weird way of creeping up on you when you least expect it. Just by saying that, you could have summoned something..."

He stopped and silently hand signaled us to stay low. I quietly placed the crate on the ground, then crawled to Lancelot and Emeric to see what they were staring at. It was a frog the size of the swamp!

"Humongo Frog..." identified Emeric. "Keep low, and don't make a sound."

"You face these kind of beasts every time you come here?!" deemed Lancelot, ignoring Emeric's advice.

The Humongo Frog jumped high into the air, then landed back into the swamp. Muddy water splattered everywhere! Horrifically, I realized the Humongo Frog was facing us!


	7. A Leap of Faith

**Ribbit. Ribbit.**

 _ **Okay. Who let the frogs out?! XD Well, I guess it's most likely Emeric. ;)**_

 _ **For Wizard101 players out there reading this story, what is your favorite Myth spell? Considering Humongo Frog is one. Please let me know in this chapter's review!**_

 ** _Meantime, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter!_**

* * *

Emeric's P.O.V.

* * *

I remember my father slaying a few of these beasts. The skin was so thick it could rebound anything you throw at it, so throwing a stone would just be easily deflected right back at you full force.

" **The weak spot of a Humongo Frog is its stomach,"** my father once told me.

I once watched him take one down in action. He hurled the biggest rock he could possibly throw with his bare arms high into the air. The Humongo Frog thought it was a giant fly, and used it's tongue to bring it to its mouth, then died choking. I wished I could do that, but compared to my father's, my arms were weak. A small pebble wouldn't be sufficient in this case. There had to be another way…

"Um… Emeric?" worried Lancelot. "I think it found our hiding spot!"

"Now what? We can't free these tiny toads when they could get squashed by that 'humongo' one!" uttered John.

I looked at the crate of toads, then back up at the Humongo Frog. The toads in the crate starting croaking in sync. In between the gaps of silence, the Humongo Frog would croak. It was as if they were all communicating…

"That's it!" I realized. "John, you're a genius!"

John got up and stood proudly. "Of course I am! Um… What did I do?"

I leapt straight into action. Carefully, I turned over the crate so that the hinge would open up facing the Humongo Frog. Then I unhinged the the flap and showed them their natural habitat. They all stayed in the crate, still croaking in unison while they alternated with the Humongo Frog.

"What are you doing?!" John probably thought I was crazy. "They won't leave because there's a monster taking up their swamp!"

I sighed. I didn't want to do this, especially not in front of them. But the Humongo Frog was tugging away at the trees that blocked us from it's slimy mouth! I couldn't think of anything better than this...

"Emeric," pressed Lancelot. "You know what this beast is, don't you know how to get rid of it?!"

I tried to stay calm under the mounting pressure. "Yes. Distract it by throwing things at it's mouth. That's its only weak spot!"

Lancelot and John nodded. They started throwing sticks, pebbles, dirt, everything they could pick up really. The Humongo Frog spotted the flying objects, and caught them mid air with its tongue. Now that those two were distracted along with the Humongo Frog, it was time to do what I intended.

I curled myself as small as I could, and bent my head to their eye level. "Hi there fellow toads. Sorry if you're traumatized by the bumpy ride. I'm afraid my friend isn't that great with amphibians."

"Emeric?! What are you doing?!" negotiated Lancelot, still throwing objects in the air.

I ignored him and continued. "We're here to free you, don't mind those boys. I won't let them mistreat you anymore."

"Who are you talking to?!" John questioned.

I kept on going even though I knew I was gonna regret saying this. "Please come out, there's a big, mama toad that wants to see you all."

John and Lancelot stopped throwing things at the Humongo Frog, and started rolling on the ground, laughing at me.

"He's talking to the toads!" Lancelot snickered. "What are you gonna do next? Kiss one and make it turn into a princess?"

My face reddened. "Can you please come out to prove to those good for nothing pages that you understand me?"

"You're so funny Emeric!" chortled John. "Imagine! Speaking toad!"

I frowned and felt like tearing up. I hid in a bush so I could cry freely without further embarrassment. I guess I _didn't_ gain the creatures of the Weirwoods' trust, after coming here multiple times to feed, pet, and care for them.

Unexpectedly, Lancelot and John ceased laughing. I felt a bumpy, slimy, webbed feet creature land on my head. I rubbed off my tears and got out of the bush, keeping my head tilted. The boys looked terrified.

"Let me guess. There's a toad is on my head?"

They nodded. I took it off my head carefully cradled it in my hands. Then I looked down. All the toads got out of the crate to surround and stare at me! Their bulging eyes rarely blinked.

"Don't you dare all jump at me. I am _not_ gonna be toppled over into that bush I was just in."

I put the one I held onto the ground with the others. It hopped around to face me as well. Lancelot and John looked as if they've seen a ghost.

"What? You toads know very well that I want the best for you all!"

A few toads jumped on me, landing on my head and shoulders. The rest hopped towards the swamp. Those that jumped on me soon followed. The Humongo Frog croaked at a slightly higher pitch than before. It seemed pleased that it was united with all the toads of the swamp. It sunk under the water completely as if the swamp were bottomless. The toads jumped in as well and disappeared. John and Lancelot looked back and forth from the swamp, to me. I stood awkwardly pulling out a few twigs and leaves from my tangled hair.

"What. Just. Happened?" John wanted to know.

I simply shrugged.

* * *

Lancelot's P.O.V.

* * *

I thought that what John told me earlier was just a made-up story, but after the sequence of events, I could now visualize it happening. The fact that Emeric could possibly communicate with animals terrified me. Animals weren't meant to be understood, only hunted down and eaten once they were cooked! This was supernatural at work! I slowly backed away.

But Emeric held me back. "Where in Mother Nature's name are you going?"

"Don't tell me you know Mother Nature Emeric! If that's your real name. Who are you?! How can you communicate with animals?" I tried to loosen his grip on me, but he was surprisingly strong and held onto me firmly.

"What's gotten into you?" Emeric asked, looking into my eyes with his green-brown ones.

The forest green tint I'd never notice in his eyes before seem to have become more prominent as he stood in the shadows, his hand latching my left wrist with a powerful hold.

"More like what's gotten into you!" piped up John.

"I can explain," he started, abruptly letting go of me.

"Explain what? That you have magic?! Because magic can't be explained." I massaged my left wrist with my right hand after being held back tightly.

"What?! No I don't!"

Emeric sat down on the on the ground, and invited to join him. We hesitantly collapsed as well. Throwing things really high was exhausting!

"Look. I've come here a lot to escape from all the mistreatment I get since I came to the palace. Not only by you too, but also from the Prince, certain servants and maids, strict nuns and priests, the knights, even the other boys in our dormitory use me as a punchbag!" Emeric revealed, avoiding our eye contact. "I left a pack of hunting dogs I would always feed at home. I really miss them… So I came to feed some animals here instead, and, hopefully, gain their trust. I guess it worked!"

He beamed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," backtracked John. "Why didn't you just offer to feed the royal hunting dogs instead of come out here and feed a pack of wild wolves?!"

"Wolves behave a lot like dogs, believe it or not," he explained. "Besides. Those royal hunting dogs already have someone to take care of them, and I don't own them."

"You can get near wolves without them eating you?!" I exclaimed.

"It took some time to gain their trust, since they're very territorial, but eventually, yes. I guess they kind of opened up to me in their pack."

John stood unmoved. "I don't care what good things you have to say about those wild animals Emeric. How does a boy manage to become so close to the untamable animals here in only a year?!"

I agreed. There had to be more to it than just that...


	8. United We Stand

**_Can you believe it?! Second last chapter of my first book already! o;_**

 ** _Chapter question to answer in the reviews: What do you think is your special ability? It could be anything you wish to share. :)_**

 ** _I think my special ability is having an Eagle Eye, so to speak. ;) I tend to notice the smallest of details and slight movements. Then again, that's probably just my artistic and perfectionist nature._**

 ** _Anyways, hope you like this chapter! :)_**

* * *

John's P.O.V.

* * *

 _I don't care what Emeric claims._ _He hid away this big secret from everyone for a year, who knows what other confidential mysteries he hides…_

"Guys! You've got to believe me on this! I do _not_ have magic! If I did, I would be in a wizard's school by now! And such a thing doesn't exist!" wrangled Emeric. "Maybe I just have a way with animals..."

"Well then, animal tender," mocked Lancelot. "Now what?"

He thought for a moment before answering. "I think we should stay away from this swamp."

"No kidding!" I interjected. "Who knows what else lurks around here..."

Emeric nodded in agreement, then mumbled, "If only I had my survival book with me..."

"I know it's a risk," realized Lancelot, "But I think it's best to stay near the crack in the wall if ever we need to escape."

For once, I fully agreed with him. "Good idea."

Emeric sighed. "Fine. But try and keep up this time."

He went ahead, seemingly flying through the branches. It wasn't long before I started huffing and puffing along with Lancelot. Even in our knight training, we didn't get this much exercise. Being agile, speedy, sharp, focused, strong, and cunning all at once was harder than it looked!

 _Maybe I should come back here to work out instead of heading to the training grounds,_ I huffed.

The idea did appeal to me. Those classes were super boring! Most of the time, we couldn't be dueling at all! We'd be doing research with those dusty old books and scrolls, learn good etiquette, which Lancelot dreaded everyday, and even when we were training to fight, we were all lined up in rows, having to mimic our teacher. We'd never really warm-up or do much exercise like this. There wasn't the time in our curriculum.

"Emeric!" Lancelot called out with all the breath he had left. "Gosh that boy is fast..."

"Well, if he comes here often, he must have memorized every stone and branch," I exaggerated, panting.

A voice startled us from behind. "Boo!"

"Ah! Ghost!" This time, Lancelot jumped into my arms.

The second I caught him, I purposely dropped in on the dirt floor. He spat some dirt out. Emeric was a riot.

"HA HA! Now I see why you prank people so much! It's hilarious!" Emeric burst, but an instant later, he abruptly stopped. "Sorry… I just wanted to teach you guys a lesson that it isn't always funny being on the other end of the line."

He once again, he offered Lancelot a hand.

"I thought I was gonna die!" spluttered Lancelot. "Stop scaring the death out of me!"

"On one condition," bargained Emeric. "You too stop blaming everything on me. So if we get caught, no pointing fingers."

"Okay! We get it!" I grumbled. "We just wanted to have fun! Sheesh."

Emeric winked. "There are way better ways you can have fun. Even chores can seem fun if you just look at it differently."

I highly doubted that. I looked past a few trees, and realized we were only a few steps away from the wall and the secret passageway we took!

"Emeric!" hollered a voice. "Where are you?!"

"Yeah!" cried another. "We've got your case! Or whatever you call it..."

"Please come out!" begged a third. "I want to be your friend now!"

I recognized the third. It belonged to Prince Artorius! Lancelot and I ducked down the bushes, but Emeric still stood out.

"Get down here!" Lancelot hissed. "You'll blow our cover!"

"They found my counseling kit..." he uttered in disbelief. "They have my book, my stock of food, and… hey!"

I tugged him down to eye level. "You listen good. Prince Artorius, the one who started this whole manhunt, is right here! He's evil!"

"Yeah," uttered Lancelot. "He's never wanted to hang out with us, and finds himself superior from all the rest. It's unfair!"

"What?" questioned a startled Emeric. "Look here you too. He went crazy when I accused you too for that prank that got us all into trouble in the first place! He thought you were both gonna be his most loyal knights! You wouldn't believe how much he trusts you guys. It's, it's unimaginable!"

 _Is this true?_ _Does the prince actually_ care _for our well being?_

"Hide all you want. I'm going to see them." With that, he headed towards the hidden crack in the wall and revealed it and himself to the rest of the world.

* * *

Prince Artorius' P.O.V.

* * *

 _We'll never find him!_ _I was really hoping I'd get a second chance. I thought he'd coming out after I promised we could be friends… He deserves that at the very least._

"Well, we've looked everywhere," nervously chuckled Edward. "Now let's go!"

I heard some rustling. I immediately turned around, to see a bush against the wall shaking. Oddly enough, it collapsed! I spotted a small, pale hand dropping a big branch that supported all the others before it disappeared behind it.

"Hey! We can go through here!" discovered Richard, going from one side of the barrier to the next without getting harmed.

I dragged Edward through the gap. He deserved it after pushing me around a few moments ago. Once we were in, a shiver crawled through me.

 _This place looks exactly like the place in my dream!_ _I hope there's no swamp or giant frog hopping about…_

"Is it true what you said Prince Artorius?" verified a familiar voice. "You-you actually _want_ to be friends with me?"

The three of us turned around to find what exactly who we were looking for: Emeric. Though his skin seemed paler, his messy, copper brown hair now the darkest shade of brown in the dark, and the tint of forest green in his eyes stood out in these creepy woods.

"Emeric?" I blundered. "Is that really you? Or am I seeing your ghost? If you died in these woods because of me, I'd never forgive myself..."

"Don't worry, it's me!" He ran up towards me and gave me a warm hug. "You shouldn't have come here. We've just faced a Humongo Frog. There are many mysterious creatures here. If only I had my journal..."

"You mean this one?" Richard waved it in the air before handing its rightful owner.

"Yes! But... that means you went through my suitcase, which means you've all went to my room?!"

He started tugging his hair in self-anger. No wonder why he could never keep his hair straight.

"Calm down Emeric! It wasn't like we had a choice! We ended up getting locked up in there by all those squires and pages!" quickly explained Richard.

"Oh… I'm so sorry you guys had to go through that..." Emeric seemed to actually be on the verge of crying.

I patted him on the back. "Don't worry about it! I was there to get them out of the situation."

"So, what did you mean by 'we' Emeric?" Edward asked quizzically.

"Well, I'd rather show you than lie. You two can come out now you rascals! It's all clear!" he shouted.

No response.

With a groan, he headed towards a nearby bush, and dragged two boys out of it. I recognized them immediately. It was the famous duo, John Hawkwood and Lancelot.

"What are you two doing here?" scrutinized Edward.

"He did it!"

They both pointed straight at Emeric, who dropped them hard on the ground at that.

"Aw come on!" Emeric complained. "Do promises not retain in your heads?! For the last time! I did nothing compared to you too!"

This was the last place I expected to see those two. I tilted my head.

"I don't know about you all, but I'm hungry!"

Edward placed Emeric's brown 'suitcase', as he called it, on the ground, opened it, and scavenged for more food.

"Help yourself," generously beamed Emeric.

"Wow! Seriously? Thanks!" Edward grabbed another pear.

"You must really like those pears. That's the third one you've had today!" exclaimed Richard.

"Pair..." murmured Emeric, suddenly remembering something.

He shoved Edward out of the way and frantically looked in his so called suitcase. There were many pockets I've never noticed until he put his hands in them, trying to feel for something. We all gathered around, curious for what he was searching for.

"Woah! That chest is so cool!" John complimented. "Wish I had one..."

"Thanks. My father gave it to me when he found a good deal on his travels. Two for one." Saying that only made Emeric search all over even faster.

"Can't believe we missed all those little compartments!" awed Richard. "Guess you've got to know what you're looking for..."

"This 'suitcase' or what do you call it, is a perfect representation of Emeric you know," artistically pictured Lancelot. "Why do you have so many secrets?"

Emeric paused his suitcase search and looked up at Lancelot. "I don't have any secrets. Only personal information about myself."

"You're just rewording him!" cried John. "I saw with my own eyes you feeding and petting all the animals of the Wyrd! Lancelot is a witness of what you did with those toads we used!"

I turned to John. "Is this true? You and Lancelot _are_ the ones behind that major prank? So Emeric _was_ telling the truth… It wasn't funny, I can tell you that. I was actually having a nightmare going against a giant frog in a place exactly like this!"

"Hold on. You mean Humongo Frog?" questioned Emeric, now standing up. "I keep forgetting to draw and write that down in my journal! Does anyone have ink?"

We all shook our heads.

He sighed. "Guess it's back to berry juice that's gonna turn brown. Wish they would stay their original colors..."

"Hold on a second," paused Richard. " _You_ drew and wrote all that?! That's amazing!"

Emeric blushed. "I'm not _that_ good of a drawer or writer."

"Don't be modest Emeric!" agreed Edward. "Even _I_ was captivated by it!"

Lancelot, John, and I were intrigued as well.

"Fine. But I need to get some berries first," decided Emeric. "And I'm bringing this with me."

He tapped on his precious book's cover. He went into the forest and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

I was rather taken aback. "I've seen Emeric run to fetch things, but never have I seen him go that fast!"

"Yeah. It's made us a bit suspicious too." Lancelot pointed back and forth between John and himself.

"We think he has magic," theorized John. "Only way to explain the unexplained."

"No way!" I couldn't believe it.

"Pff! Yeah right. Get real you guys," scoffed Richard. "He's never used magic in his entire life, and has no magical background. Only an aristocratic one. There's no such thing as magic!"

"I hate to break it to you," intervened Edward, "but I'm afraid magic _is_ real. It's all over this forest! We should go find Emeric before we lose him again."

"Please," accentuated Lancelot. "He guided us through this place like it was nothing! He even knew how to deal with that 'Humongo Frog' as he calls it."

"You mean you've encountered a humongous frog?!" I gasped, realizing my nightmare was coming to life. "How in all of Avalon did you three survived?!"

"Well," Lancelot cracked his knuckles. "John and I threw rocks and stuff at it. It kept catching and eating everything we threw with its huge sticky tongue! Emeric just curled up in a bush all scared."

John shoved him. "That's not the whole truth! I've had it with your tall tales Lancelot. This is what really happened."

After narrating to us the whole story of their adventure, I couldn't believe they were still alive! John seemed to portray Emeric as the hero of the story unlike Lancelot who became self-centered. I wondered what other secret talents, knowledge, and abilities he had…


	9. The Five Founders and the Prince

**_This is hard to believe, but this is the last chapter of my first book already! :(_**

 ** _Or is it just the beginning? ;)_**

 ** _I know compared to some other stories on Fan Fiction, this one is pretty short, but the upcoming ones I have planned will have a lot in store. ;) Remember: This is only the first book of the series_** ** _The Knights of the Rainbow Heart_** ** _. If there's anything I can improve on, just let me know in the reviews or M.P. me so I can apply them in my next book and so forth. :)_**

 ** _I hope you enjoyed this book, and keep yourself updated for when the second comes out! Without further ado, it is time to finish this book by reading the last chapter. Hope you like it. :)_**

* * *

Edward's P.O.V.

* * *

 _I feel so at home here…_ though I had no clue why. _It's as if this place accurately represents how I feel inside… Limited behind a barrier, a gloomy cloud hanging on top of my head, and foreign compared to all those people that fit in._

Emeric seemed to feel the same way from how he comported himself in these woods. He seemed more confident, yet, more emotionally unstable. This was his refuge, and I felt like I was intruding it.

 _No way would any spy dare to follow us here... Then why do I still feel like I'm being watched?_

"Wow! Cool story!" Richard applauded.

"It's not a story! It actually happened! Geez. Second time today I had to say that," counted John.

"Are you sure you both didn't just see things?" questioned Prince Artorius. "I mean, in the Wyrd, anything can happen. You could have both hallucinated."

"Well, it seems to me that he can control that power to his own advantage," believed Lancelot darkly.

I shivered. "Emeric of all people just doesn't seem to be the type for dark magic."

"Unless he's using his smiles as a cover-up for the darkness that lies inside," suspected Lancelot.

"This is ridiculous!" With that, Richard started ranting. "The only thing he's hiding is his depressing reality! Everyone always expect boys to be heartless, powerful, and selfish. And all those boys who oppose it, like Edward, Emeric, and me are the stand-outs and considered 'rejects' for not being 'manly' enough!"

"He's right," I backed up. "I grew up with a hard upbringing, full of expectations. I didn't exactly get any comfort or reassurance when I couldn't become a page or a squire..."

We all sat gloomily, questioning whether these assumptions of boys like us were really for the best or not.

Emeric came out of the blue, or rather, black. "Hey guys! I found blueberries, blackberries, gooseberries, salmonberries, and loads more! I don't understand how they're all ripe at once when they're usually harvested during different times of year though..."

"Well that's interesting," commented Lancelot sarcastically.

"Hello? Magic forest? Nothing's logical here!" pointed out John.

Emeric conveniently found a thick piece of bark with uninhabited beetle holes that didn't go all the way through the bark. Then he unfolded two big leaves that held a bunch of berries within. We helped differentiated the types of berries into different holes since we didn't have anything better to do. I think a few of us ate some of the berries instead though, including myself. Emeric didn't seem to mind. He just had less juice when he used a stick to crush them.

"Wow. That piece of bark is like a professional painting palate those portrait painters use!" observed Prince Artorius.

"I know! I was lucky to have found it. I leave it in the same spot every time so I remember to update my journal."

"I really need to get myself a blank paged book like that," noted Richard. "I want to write a story. Maybe we could each write in our own little book and base it upon our interests."

"Eh. Too much work," John yawned.

"I'd wouldn't know what to write about," I admitted.

"Well, if I have to, I'd probably write the best adventure story ever!" bragged Lancelot.

"Looks like I have some competition then," Richard winked.

"Oh. Nevermind. Mine would be second best then."

"Well, I'd probably write a timeline of the sequences of events of my royal life. Now this is definitely gonna be a highlight," Prince Artorius decided. "I just can't believe I've been missing out all this companionship and all I had to do was get out of my room and explore! Best life decision so far."

We all smiled. I had to admit, we did seem to fit well together, just the six of us.

* * *

Richard's P.O.V.

* * *

I made a request. "How about we make a secret friendship group?"

Edward immediately came up with an idea. "How about: 'The Knights of Painful, Terrifying, Excruciating Death'? Everyone would fear us and no longer mistreat us!"

"I like 'The Knights' part, but I think the rest sounds too dreadful," John stated bluntly.

"Same goes for me," agreed Lancelot.

"Any ideas your highness?" I asked politely.

"Honestly, I don't think I want to be treated like I'm superior around you guys," Artorius confessed.

That took us all by surprise. Even Emeric stopped doodling with his huge feathered pen, berry paints and bark palate.

 _Is this really Prince Artorius we're sitting with?_ I found it hard to believe. _He's changed so much in so little time. But he isn't as intimidating as I once saw him. He's more approachable. He's like… us._

"Are you feeling okay your majesty?" Emeric put his hand on Prince Artorius' furry forehead to check his temperature.

Prince Artorius gently pushed Emeric's arm away. "Of course! Never been better! Can you guys just call me Artorius or even Art or short? It would really make my day."

"Okay then Art," uncertainly nicknamed Lancelot. "What's gotten into you?"

"This guy."

He pointed at Emeric who had gone back to his journaling.

After a minute of silence, he looked up to see all of us staring at him. "What? What'd I do?"

We all rolled our eyes. He got so wrapped up writing and drawing in his journal, he seemed to become oblivious to the world once he got started. Then again, I could relate.

I changed the topic. "Nevermind. I've been meaning to ask you since I saw it Emeric. Where did you get that feather pen? It's not like any of the uni-color feathered pens I've seen before."

"Does it look familiar to you Artorius?" Emeric passed the feathered pen to him first.

"Um, the dark brown and white contrasting colors look familiar, but how it seems to be diagonally striped throws me off. I'm not that great when it comes to identifying bird feathers," Artorius admitted.

"That feather is huge!" examined Lancelot, it's length half the length of his arm. "Definitely a predatory bird."

"You're getting warmer," hinted Emeric.

"Birds aren't really my interest," informed Edward.

He immediately handed it to John, who passed it straight to me. I observed the feather in great detail after pushing my lenses closer to my eyes with my pointer finger. I carefully held the gigantic feather by the quill once I was done my examination.

"Emeric, there seems to be a part near the tip of the feather that's sort of clawed off."

Emeric's face was full of mixed emotion which I've never seen him do before. "You sure have an eye for detail Richard. Then again, you have the advantage with glasses and all."

"Is there, um, history behind this feather?"

At that, he snatched the feathered pen from me. He went back to his drawing and avoided all eye contact.

 _I'll take that as a yes._

"So, names," Artorius reeled back in. "We deserve a name for this secret group. It's special. I mean, Emeric is right that so phew people care about nothing but themselves nowadays, and you five are the only ones I've really gotten to know that are actually willing to go out of your way to have fun with each other."

"You have no idea." John turned to Lancelot who chuckled uneasily.

"Well," Emeric thought out loud, looking at his paints. "This may sound kind of girly, but how about the Knights of the Rainbow Heart? Just thought of 'Rainbow' from these paints, and 'Heart'... I don't know. Friendship and all?"

"You're right! That does sound girly," razzed Lancelot.

Artorius put that idea into consideration. "That's actually not bad..."

"We're seriously going for Emeric's idea over mine?!" cried Edward.

"It does sound a bit more hopeful and positive," acknowledged John.

"I think 'The Knights of the Rainbow Heart' has a nice ring to it." Just saying the name made me smile.

"Well, that's what I was aiming for," grinned Emeric, finally looking up at us again. "Sorry Edward, Lancelot. I think you two are overpowered on this decision."

"Ugh! Fine..." grumbled Edward.

Lancelot didn't seem as disappointed as I expected. "Eh. It'll just take some getting use to using that name, 'the Knights of the Rainbow Heart'."

Then a grin appeared on his face. This new name of ours seemed to have an enchantment on it making whoever say it smile! But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It felt encouraging. We didn't know at the time where this group was heading, to what extent, or even would how it would change the course of history. But one thing was for sure: This was a new beginning.


End file.
